Academic? Corporate? Public? All of the Above

Librarians often label themselves by the type of library in which they work-academic, corporate, or public. The knowledge gained through a master of library science (MLS) program prepares librarians to work in each of these library environments, because the foundations of librarianship apply universally. This diversification can be a key factor in developing a robust professional portfolio and positioning oneself for future job opportunities. While some librarians spend their entire career in one type of library, others may travel between library environments. Ten librarians were excluded from the analysis due to their lack of an MLS or an equivalent degree or their non-participation in the self-reporting Web sites. Data collected about the remaining 52 faculty librarians included the year their MLS was granted and their total years of experience in academic librarianship, public librarianship, and special/ corporate librarianship. Each librarian's job positions and appointments were then reviewed and categorized as academic, special/corporate, public, or non-MLS.